


The hell continues

by Redfield



Series: Hell is another Universe [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Older Man/Younger Woman, Original Character(s), POV Alternating, Past Child Abuse, Season 3 and 4, Time Travel Fix-It, Unplanned Pregnancy, time skip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:01:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redfield/pseuds/Redfield
Summary: four months after Daryl and Jenna finally became a true couple... now the group has more troubles: Alice Redfern. And she has a companion who is just as cruel and evil
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s), Lori Grimes/Shane Walsh, Rick Grimes/Original Female Character(s), Will Dixon/OFC, possible Merle/Michonne
Series: Hell is another Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1963432
Comments: 7
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

Michonne was riding one of the horses through the desolate town, scavenging. Jenna was on top of her mare, a bow, and a quiver of arrows over her shoulder as she trotted over to a car part store nearby. Next to her was a fat, little donkey the Dixons found on one of their trips. It was going to be their pack equine. She frowned as she watched the younger woman hop off the mare to kneel against a bloodstain.

“Jenna?” hopping off her mare, Michonne watched as Jenna took out some chalk and began to write on the pavement. She peeked over the younger woman’s shoulder.

“Here lies the last of the brave blood of Otis and Andrew. Two brave men snuffed out by the Revelations.” Michonne smiled as she saw Jenna draw small lilies around the small phrase she wrote.

“Jenna, that’s beautiful. But why did you call the end of the world ‘Revelations?’ Isn’t that from the bible?” Michonne asked. Jenna sat up and stretched.

“I call it Revelations for two reasons. One is because we are kind of in the Bible Belt, so it’s more ironic. Also, in the book, the dead are said to rise when the world halts. Seems fitting.” Jenna then stood, and almost fell over from being light-headed.

“You alright? I know the winter was hard on everyone, and I saw you giving your rations to the kids. Are you okay?” Michonne asked. Jenna nodded her head.

“I’ll be fine. Must not have drunk enough water.” she joked. Michonne helped Jenna right herself. She then handed the younger woman a flask.

“Drink up. If you faint, not only will Sarah tear me a new one, but the Dixons will too.” the dark-skinned woman joked. Jenna chuckled and took a sip of the distilled water.

“Speaking of the Dixons…I think Merle has a liking to you.” Jenna poked. Michonne blushed.

“Not that I’m against Merle. But he is a bit older than me and a smidge racist. I don’t think he actually likes me like that.” Jenna grinned.

“He has been calling you his Nubian Queen. But I can see how that is a mite racist. But then again, It’s Merle. That may be his way of flirting. It’s not like he can take you to a fancy restaurant.” Michonne laughed.

“Can you see Merle in a suit? Going to a five-star restaurant?” both giggled happily as they thought of the Dixons in fine suits.

“I wonder what he’ll order?” the two continued to laugh at the thought of the two rednecks going fancy.

“You feeling better?” Michonne asked the younger woman. Jenna nodded and took another sip of water.

“I’ll be fine…Why did we come into town again?” Jenna asked. Michonne chuckled and began to walk over to the part store.

“We need some stuff to build a cradle for Lori’s baby. She went into labor this morning, and her baby needs a bed.” Michonne replied.

“Then we also need baby clothes, cloth to turn into reusable diapers, the formula in case Lori can’t produce enough milk, bottles, blankets, and baby medicine in case the baby gets sick. We can use a wooden crate from the store as a crib until she is old enough to sleep with an older person.”

“How do you know the baby will be a girl?” Michonne asked. Jenna grinned.

“I’ve seen it.”

~~~…

William Buck Dixon was watching the two women talk about babies. The black chick mentioned Dixon and Merle…could it be his oldest son?

“…I heard Daryl mention that Merle’s birthday is any day now. Should we get him something?” the younger girl asked. Oh, so his disappointment is here too. The older man watched as the women lead their horses to a nearby store. Their little packhorse, a dull red donkey, decided to lay down outside the store. He snuck closer.

After he and Alice ditched the waste of space and his brat, they found a town to lead. Woodbury was a bit stuffy for him, but Alice thrived in the small town. After bringing in a few folks over the winter, Will and Alice made sure to stomp out anyone who second-guessed their rule. Some of the Woodbury residents started to call the two of them the Governors. He liked it.

Turning back to watching the women, Will scowled as he noticed the younger woman kinda looked like Alice, but shorter and in his opinion, weaker.

“Chonne! Do you have all the stuff you found?” the smaller version of Alice called out. Chonne, the dark skinned woman, was carrying a fat duffle bag full of supplies over to the red donkey. The animal brayed and sat up to allow the woman to hoist the bag over it’s back.

“I found a lot of loot. And some stuff for the kids to play with, like more chalk. Did you find something to use as a cradle?” The mini Alice stepped out, holding a Moses basket.

“This should be fine. If I can find a Native American museum, I can find a cradleboard. But a Moses basket is a good second.”

“Can you make a cradleboard?” the dark woman asked her companion.

“I can try. But my mother used to make them sell at powwows. She never let me learn.” The two women then loaded another bag onto the ass and climbed on top of their mounts. Will watched as the two women started to head east.

“What do you need to make a cradleboard?” the older woman asked. The mini Alice seemed to be lost in thought.

“I can find everything at the prison, but I need an outline on how to make it. Maybe I can find one in the library.” The two women then left. Will stood from his hiding spot as the women were out of sight.

“So, my sons are alive. And there is a group at the prison. I need to tell Alice.” He then went over to his hidden truck and took off to Woodbury.

Woodbury was close by, and slipping in, many of the folks that took refuge there were greeting him as he waltzed towards Alice and his apartment. Alice and Will gave orders that the women and children are to remain in the walls at all times, dressed in thick dresses. The men did the harder jobs like be on guard and trapping walkers. Besides her and Will, everyone was dressed in clothes that wouldn’t look out of place in the 19th century.

“Will.” Looks like he doesn’t have to go far. Alice was walking up to him, the simpering fool called Milton was following her as she glared at his early return.

“Alice. I have news.” Alice’s plump lips twisted in her cruel grin.

“Oh? Do tell. Milton. You can go now.” The pathetic man nodded and scurried away to his lab. Alice then turned to face Will.

“What did you have to say? I need to head to the fighting ring, set it up. We got more recruits for the pits.” Alice ordered. Will’s own lips twisted into a cruel smirk.

“There’s a community nearby. And I think my sons are there. I found two of their scavengers in the nearby town. They were gathering baby supplies.”

“Oh? Describe these two scavengers,” she asked. Will nodded and followed behind the cruel woman, watching her ass bounce in her steps.

“Both women. One black, older than her companion, dreadlocks, and a sword. Her companion was shorter, curvier…kind of looked like you from a distance. But weaker. She had a compound bow.” Will stepped in line with Alice as she pondered his words.

“The younger companion…What did she look like? Besides, like me?” Alice asked.

“Short, big tits, big ass, long dark hair, pale skin. Luckily, I have good eyes, so I can tell she had green-based hazel eyes.” Alice stopped walking.

“What? Are you positive?” she demanded, her voice cold as polished stone. Will nodded.

“Yeah. As I said, a weaker version of you. She also mentioned some things about a cradleboard.” Alice hissed.

“Will, gather up a few men. We are going to find these women.” Will nodded.

Alice walked back to her apartment, she was deep in thought. The short woman he described…is it Jenna? She entered her apartment, looking at the severed head of one of her sons she found here in this hell. Joshua wasn’t supposed to be here, but he refused to listen to her when she found him. His zombified head was awake, his mouth sewn shut as muffled growls came from what was left of his vocal cords.

“Oh, Joshua. My most precious son. It seems that Jenny Bug is here too. She lifted the head to her lips and kissed the rotting forehead.

“If you listened to mama, you could have been such a great general.” Joshua’s head growled and twitched as she placed him back on the mantle she made his _ofrenda_. She sat down on a chair in front of the head, lighting a candle. Standing once more, she held the candle at an angle, dripping wax on the head.

“No more will my babies disobey me. Jenny Bug will learn her place.”

~~~…

Shane was holding a fussing newborn as Lori was getting stitched up. She lost a lot of blood and needed a Caesarean. But both mother and child were alive and well. Jenna and Michonne came back just in time with the baby supplies. With Sarah’s help, Shane got the still unnamed newborn into a swaddle and clean cloth diaper.

“Shane? Can I hold my baby?” Lori called out from her cell. Happily, Shane brought the fussy baby to her mother. Lori smiled down at the baby, elated at her whining and fussy behavior.

“She’s beautiful. So beautiful.” Sitting up, Lori shifted her blouse aside to allow the baby to nurse. The newborn girl ceased her fussing and happily ate. Shane smiled and walked out, leaving the mother and infant alone. For some reason, everyone besides Shane, Maggie, Morgan, and Hershel decided to leave the cellblock for outside.

Once outside, Shane saw that it was almost completely dark a sliver of the sun still blinking in the light. Near the edge of the courtyard and animal field was a bonfire going. It wasn’t a large one, but large enough that it was roasting a whole half of a cow. IN some of the solar lights, T-Dog and Merle were butchering the rest of the carcass, throwing tiny bits to Murphy and Lucky LS who was living up to her name. They had a scrap bucket for the rest of the birds. He cleared his throat.

“Shane. How’s Lori and the baby?” He heard more than saw Rick. He smiled, big and wide, his eyes glistening with soft tears.

“A girl. I have a daughter.” Rick grinned back. Behind them, the rest of the group let out cheers, not too loud to rustle walkers, but loud enough to show support. Jenna came running up. Over the winter, she slimmed down, everyone besides the kids and Lori did and gained soft but strong muscles in her legs and arms.

“How’s Lori?” she asked. Shane smiled again. Lori was still somewhat nasty to Jenna, but it warmed his heart that she still looked out for everyone.

“She’s fine. Bedridden for a few days, but alive and well.” Jenna was beaming at the older man. Behind her, Daryl was also smiling, which was rare for him. He was holding a bundle.

“Shane. Here.” He handed the bundle to Jenna, who then handed it to Shane. Unfolding the bundle, Shane gasped at the soft, thick fur of a blanket.

“This is beautiful. What kind of fur is this?” he asked. Daryl blushed and turned his head away.

“Earlier this winter, we got a wolf sniffing around the winter born calves. Jenna shot it with Merle’s rifle, and I skinned it. You remember the white puppy we brought back? Well, apparently the wolf had a pup to feed. We brought her back.” Said white puppy was happily wagging its tail as Jenna’s ugly ass dog played with it.

“SO that’s where you got Snowball,” he replied. Jenna smiled.

“Yeah. But anyway, her pelt will be a great blanket for the baby. What are going to call her?” Jenna asked. Shane held the blanket and smiled.

“What was her name in your time?” he asked.

“Judith.”

“Then that’s what we will call her. My baby Judith.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a scene at an attempt of sex during menstruation.

Baby Judith was already being spoiled. Only three days old and she had almost everyone wrapped around her finger. Jenna smiled as Lori, who healed enough to leave the bed, was carrying the newborn outside in the warm spring air. Keeping to herself on the roof, Jenna smiled again as the other kids crowded around Lori to say hello to the baby.

“Jenna?” turning, with a curious frown, Jenna saw both Jordan and Sophia entering the roof.

“How the hell did you get here? I made sure to cover my tracks.” Jenna asked. Both girls were fidgeting as behind them, Daryl came walking out.

“They followed me. Wanted to talk to you.” Daryl then moved over to Jenna’s little rickshaw tent, unloading water bottles, some dried foods, and terry cloth strips. Right behind him was Snowball and Murphy…and Lucky LS. Daryl glared at the chicken.

“...she sure lives up to her name,” he mumbled. Jenna chuckled. Said chicken was clucking away as she snapped at some spring flies.

Jenna turned back towards the two girls.

“So…what did you want to talk about?” she asked. Sophia and Jordan then moved closer to the older girl.

“Um…Both Jordan and I woke up and we had blood in our underwear. We are too scared of our moms for help.” Jenna lifted her head to see a growing blush on Daryl’s face. She turned back to the girls and laughed.

“Oh, girls…Your mothers won’t be upset with you for something like this! Come sit down. Seems to me all three of us synchronized.” Jenna sat down, leaning against the ledge of the roof. Both girls did as well.

“Jordan, Sophia. You’ve started your period. It’s nothing to be too worried about. It just means your body started to ovulate and is now shedding the ‘supplies’ it made for the new egg cell. That’s all. I started mine yesterday and came up here.” Sophia raised her hand, making Jenna laugh again.

“Why are you up here?” she asked. Jenna smiled again.

“The blood. I figured I should stay away from the group until my period is over.” Jordan raised her hand then.

“Why though? Mom and the others would understand,” she asked. Jenna sighed.

“It's because of the blood I stay up here. To a walker, I probably smell like a fresh wagyu steak cutlet. By being up here, walkers are less likely to be drawn to my blood.” At the time, Daryl moved closer.

“She ain’t wrong. A month after her first cycle here, a lucky walker got too close to her, even with her walker skin cloak protecting her. It ignored me, Merle, and Michonne and went straight for her. She just smells too damn good for walkers right now.” Daryl leaned on the roof ledge, nudging his legs against Jenna’s smaller shoulders as he then lit a cigarette.

“Then why are you here?” Sophia asked. Daryl took a drag.

“Since she chose to isolate herself, I make sure she has food and water and doesn’t get too malnourished from her blood loss. And I keep her company.” Jenna rose to her feet and leaned against Daryl’s broader body. The older man appeared very…soft as he then nuzzled her thick hair.

Jordan and Sophia then stood up, brushing off their pants.

“Can we stay up here with you? And teach us what to do for our periods?” Sophia asked. Jordan nodded as she watched her aunt let out an exaggerated sigh.

“I suppose. Daryl…Can you go and get more supplies? And tell Carol and Sarah where their girls are so they don’t freak out?” Jenna asked. Daryl smiled and gently kissed the top of her head.

“I will. By then, you might have more ladies up here following the same idea. SO much for my plans.” kissing her again, he walked towards the door. Snowball and Murphy followed. The chicken, however, remained cooing on a milk crate.

~~~…

Shane and Rick were watching as both Sarah and Carol paced around the room. Earlier, their daughters disappeared from their rooms, and small puddles of blood were in their beds.

“Shane.” turning around, Shane saw Rick move aside and reveal Daryl. The brutish man was holding a duffle bag full of food, some water bottles, and terrycloth.

“Dixon. You know where the girls are?” he asked. Daryl glared at the harshness he detected in Shane’s voice.

“They’re with Jenna. Woke up today freaked out by the blood in their beds, so they followed me to where Jenna hides out around this time of the month. Jenna told them what was going on and now they want to stay with her. She told me to tell their mamas and grab more supplies. I’m on my way back up to where she hides.” Both Carol and Sarah immediately relaxed as Daryl explained what was happening.

“Can you take us to our babies? Please?” Carol asked, still obviously panicked. Daryl let out a soft grunt, but he let the two mothers follow him.

Shane and Rick watched as Beth and Michonne followed the three as well. Behind them, Morgan, Hershel, Morales, and Merle began to head out to tend to their chores. Carl, Duane, Cipriano, Roy, and Jimmy began gathering the dirty clothes to take and wash. Big Tiny, Oscar, and Axel were now tending to the indoor garden. Miranda and Lori went back to a cell to tend to their daughters. Eliza was with them. Andrea and Amy went back outside to do…something.

“…what just happened?” Shane asked. Rick shrugged.

“No idea…How’s fatherhood?” Rick asked, shifting the topic. Shane grinned.

“It’s amazing. I’m tired, worried and I stink of dirty diapers. But I never felt happier. Rick laughed as he clapped his friend on the back.

“I know, brother. I know.”

~~~…

Jenna was curled up next to Daryl as both Sarah and Carol talked with their daughters. The two girls replied with what Jenna spoke of earlier. In her small shelter, Daryl kept Jenna by his side, a bit territorial after Jimmy slunk up when he was done with his chores. The one-handed boy gave Jenna some chocolate he found in the kitchen, before being scared off by Daryl unruly possessiveness.

“Stumpy seems to be sweet on you,” Daryl grumbled as Jenna nibbled on the chocolate.

“Possibly. But I prefer burly rednecks armed with a crossbow.” Jenna piped. Daryl chuckled at the remark.

“Smartass.” Looking back towards Carol and Sarah, he noticed the two mothers have left, taking their daughters with them. Pleased that he was alone now with Jenna, he wrapped his arms around her waist, sighing as he was cuddling with the younger lover.

“It's so calming right now. Just listening to your heart.” Jenna whispered. Daryl grunted and moved to pin his smaller lover under him, trapping her thick thighs under his own. He gently wrapped his calloused hands around Jenna’s tinier wrists.

“I enjoy having you under me. All at my mercy.” he leaned down to nip at her throat, making her shudder as his rough facial hair scratched her smooth flesh. He did release one hand from her wrist, tracing the lush pillow that was her breast. He ran his hand ever so lightly down her chest, circling her navel and pushing up her shirt, bunching it above her breasts, exposing her chest to the cool air. Her bra finally got ruined over the winter, and she has yet found another to fit.

“Daryl…” the gruff man smirked as he felt her thighs wriggle to part. He kept eye contact as he licked his fingers, getting ready to happily violate her ripe cavern. From her soft squeaks, she was looking forward to it. Releasing her wrists, Daryl felt her quick hands removing his belt and undoing his zipper. Jenna has been wearing long skirts since she also couldn’t find any fitting jeans or pants. It didn’t bother him any. Made having sex easier. He hiked up her skirt, revealing the thin panties she only wore when on her period. From the few months they’ve been dating, he knows that her period was shorter than most women’s, being only three days instead of a whole week. Easing the thin fabric to the side, Daryl lined himself up with her fertile orifice. He groaned as her tight pussy clenched down on him.

“…Hurts.” She whimpered. Daryl leaned down to rest his forehead against hers.

“We never did it while you were cycling. It must be very sore for you.” Daryl stilled his body, allowing Jenna to adjust to his girth. While waiting, he felt her sterile blood starting to stick to the front of his jeans and pubic hair. He fought down a blush, thinking about which poor ass was going to wash them if he doesn’t.

He groaned as he felt Jenna clenched and constrict around him, signaling she was ready. He fell to his elbows, almost shielding Jenna’s gentler form from the elements with his bulk. He kissed her eyes, rolling his hips at the same time. He groaned as he felt her plush legs wrap around his waist, her slim but strong arms clutching onto his back as he thrust into her. He gave her a sound thrust, making her moan as he brushed her contracting cervix with his cock.

“Sorry. That probably hurt.” he apologized.

“It…It’s fine. Keep going.” Daryl paused.

“If you’re too sore, we can stop. It’ll be a bitch to get clean right now, but we can wait until after your period ends.” Jenna growled at him.

“Just keep going. I’ll be fine.” to prove her point, she constricted her inner muscles around his cock once more, making him groan again. He nuzzled her cheek, and he went back to thrusting his hips to collide with her round ones. She gasped and mewled as he collided with her cervix again. He hissed as he felt Jenna’s body tighten, almost trapping him inside her. He paused. She was too sore to continue. But he couldn’t pull out.

“We’re stopping. You’re in too much pain.” He tried to pull out, but her body was not releasing him. With a frustrated groan, he turned onto his side, holding Jenna close as her body continued to contract.

“…I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“What the fuck are you sorry for? It’s not like you can control it.” Daryl grumbled as he shifted again, this time having most of Jenna’s softer weight over him, instead of next to. She curled and cuddled with his chest, her shoulders hunched as her body was still refusing to release Daryl.

“I just got so worked up, I didn’t want to stop.” Daryl chuckled.

“If that’s your excuse, then it's my fault you got worked up into a needy frenzy. Should have just remained cuddling,” he replied.

After a few more moments, Jenna felt her body ceased its miniature contractions, allowing Daryl to slip out of her. Jenna moved off of Daryl, allowing the older man to grab a cloth and a water bottle. Wetting the cloth, he gently cleaned off the smeared blood from his groin as best as he could. Wanting to at least treat his smaller lover, he dampened the cloth some more and gently washed off the smeared blood from between her legs.

“Daryl…I could have cleaned us up. It was my blood that made us messy,” she whispered as Daryl tossed the cloth to a corner of the shelter.

“It was your blood, but I am the one that stirred it up.” replacing his cock back into his jeans, He waited for Jenna to curl next to him. She did after cleaning up some of the spilled blood on the blankets under them but gave up and went back to her cuddling. The motion amused Daryl.

Jenna had got his shirt undone and was now tracing the delicate penmanship of his Mother’s masculinized name on his pectoral.

“What was your mother’s name? I never did find out,” she asked.

“Norma. Norma Jean Carbonell. She never took my pa’s name. After she died, I got this when I turned twenty-one… as I promised her.”

What was she like? I know a bit, but not a lot.”

“She had long, dirty blonde hair, always up in a neat bun and curls. Merle said she was a more robust version of Marilyn Monroe, had a breathy voice, and a smokers laugh. She was teeny. And had Merle young. She always tried her best to make sure Merle and I didn’t have to face our daddy’s belt or fists. But I guess it was too much for her. She was dead inside before she was actually dead. I can still hear her sometimes singing “Blue Bayou” when she baked bread and brownies.” Daryl felt something that was once a tight nerve in his chest, loosen as he described his mother.

“Your mother sounds like she would have been a wonderful woman. A hell of a lot better than my mother.” Daryl didn’t reply, just simply held his lover as they watched the sky darken and the air cool.

~~~…

Alice and Will were standing on a hill overlooking the prison at the far end. The cruel woman was using a pair of binoculars to peek at the folks wandering about the courtyard.

“They are using some rotters to defect herds and as protection. Clever. Looks like they also use them to protect their livestock.” Alice handed the binoculars to Will, already have seen enough.

“They have quite a few kids among them. I can see my son, Merle. I don’t see Daryl.” he then gave the binoculars back to Alice.

“It’s a decent-sized group. It’ll be better if we can capture a few of them out on a supply run.” Will grumbled. Alice scanned the group, pausing as she spotted some movement on the roof.

“It is her.”

“Who?”

“My Jenna.” Will grabbed the binoculars and searched the roof.

“Yeah, that’s the chick. Big tits, big ass and looks a bit like you. Oh? It seems she’s with my son, Daryl. You say that’s your girl?” he asked.

“Yeah. This just got more interesting. If we can grab Jenna, we can get her to give us a way inside.” Alice then turned and quickly stabbed a walker that got too close.

“How are we going to do that? If she’s from the same place you are, she ain’t a dumb shit.” Alice scoffed.

“Jenna has a weakness: her brothers. Always her brothers. We’ll leave a note during the night, stating it is from one of her brothers. She is going to want to investigate and will leave the area to search. We’ll grab her then. And anyone who joins her.”


	3. Chapter 3

Jenna was doing her weird swaying walk again. Roy watched his sister, holding the rifle she got for him tightly, but pointed to the ground. Jenna was swaying between the trees, leaving the prison behind for a short while.

“Roy?” she whispered out.

“Yeah?”

“What do you remember about the day you died?” she asked. Roy stopped watching his sister. Jenna stopped her odd swaying and moved back to her baby brother.

“Mom was being very nice. Much nicer than she usually was. She made this very yummy ham and bean soup, frybread, and bannock. She gave us each our own soda. But I remember feeling very groggy, sleepy as mom hummed. I asked to go lay down, but I guess I fell asleep at the table. When I woke up, I was in Atlanta, watching the people set up barriers and shelters after the bombing. I was nine years old again. So I stayed there. Then I saw those guys with Michonne? Terry and Mike? I saw them leave their posts and get high. I had to protect the baby though. Then I joined Michonne and went to find you. I had to find you.” Jenna was caught off guard as Roy then buried his face into Jenna’s chest, his small shoulder twitching as he cried.

“Oh, Nanos.”

“I had to find you. I just had to. You were more of my mom than mom was. I’m sorry I didn’t see it until I died. You fought so hard to make sure Joshua and I lived to be grown, but mom killed us. Why did she kill us?” he sobbed, clinging to his sister. Jenna moved to sit on the forest floor, pulling Roy into her lap, cradling him, rocking him.

“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t protect you. I didn’t know until the next day what mom has done. No one in our family wanted me around after that. I looked too much like mom, I guess. Sarah tried to stay in touch. But her mother didn’t want the girls around me. It got to be too much, So I committed suicide. I woke up in the very hospital with Rick. I couldn’t save my family, but I could save them. I had to.” She held onto Roy, burying her face in his thick hair.

“It’s a good thing we were fans of the show. We know what to do.” Roy took a deep breath, taking comfort in Jenna’s smell. Jenna let out a sigh.

“At least I thought I did. I couldn’t save Jacqui, or Otis, or Andrew…I’m not so broke up about him though.”

“You saved Amy. And Patricia. And Philip, Penny, and Sophia. You saved the Morales family. Lori is alive thanks to you grabbing Morgan. And you got your wish.” Jenna chuckled.

“Oh? What is that, smart ass?” she asked.

“You get to fuck Daryl Dixon.”

“Roy!”

~~~…

Philip was chewing on an apple as Penny and Eliza watched the Dixon brothers de-pluck and gut one of the chickens for dinner. The bird got stepped on by a winter born calf and broke it’s back. So into the pot, it goes. The girls were growing desensitized to gore now, so they were following the grimy redneck around, eager to learn. Both brothers declared very vocally their irritation. Sophia and Jordan were following their mothers, learning some feminine tricks on how to get blood out of undergarments. He took another bite of his apple. He chucked the core towards the one chicken everyone now used as a mascot: Lucky. The demented bird happily ate the scraps, which ended up her being chased by the dogs.

From the corner of his…eye, Philip did see something: an orange ribbon tied to one of the fence posts. It was also holding a slip of paper.

“Hey, Dixon.” Both of the said brother lifted their heads to gaze at him, scowls in unison.

“…Never mind. There’s something on the fence. I’m going to go grab it. Cover for me?” Daryl rolled his eyes, but Merle gave his nod. He slipped up to the ribbon, untying it and unfolding the paper.

“I’m alive…Joshua Redfern?” confused, Philip tucked the paper in his pocket. He’ll give it to Jenna when she’s back from her bonding trip with her brother. Walking back, Philip bit back a laugh as Penny was chattering away to Merle about something, probably a bird she saw. Eliza was sitting next to Daryl, copying his movements as he skinned another bird, this one a wild turkey that got in the fences. She was practicing on a fat crow that got snagged by a walker guardian and had a wing ripped off. Daryl killed it for her.

“…can we eat crows?” Eliza was asking as she watched Daryl’s nimble fingers slice open the turkey.

“Nah. Not this one, at least. It got bit. Bad meat.” Eliza nodded and used the small, but razor-sharp knife that Daryl gave her to delicately dissect the crow’s breast.

“When’s Jenna coming back?” Penny whined a bit.

“How the hell should I know?” Merle barked. Over the winter, many of the kids got used to Merle's crass behavior, so thought nothing of his barks and snarls.

“Penny. Let’s leave the Dixons alone. Eliza, your mama’s probably looking for you by now.” Both young girls nodded and said their goodbyes to the Dixons. Daryl gave Eliza a nod for her decent work on the crow and sat it in a small burn pit that was dug for the refuse. Penny hugged Merle one last time and scurried off to her father. Philip gave the Dixons their space and lead the two girls back to the main courtyard.

In the courtyard, Sarah, Carol, Amy, Miranda, and Patricia were making some hardtack packed with some dried fruits and herbs and small sacks of pemmican. Andrea, Oscar, Axel, and Maggie were watching different corners of the massive yard as Morales, T-Dog, and Big Tiny went around securing weak spots in the fence. Lori was sitting on the stairs, happily nursing Judith. Rick and Shane had Carl, Duane, Cipriano, and Jimmy lined up for target practice. Jordan, Sophia, Beth, and Morgan were learning about horticulture from both Hershel and Morgan. Baby Andre and Janie were in a special pen made by the Dixons with pallets, guarded by Murphy and Snowball. And that godforsaken chicken, Lucky LS, was roosting on a ledge of the pen. Both Penny and Eliza went to greet the women cooking.

“Philip! We need a taste tester!” Amy called out. Smiling, the one-eyed man went over to the women. He noticed that Sarah found a double boiler pot somewhere and was seemingly heating up milk.

“What do I need to eat?” he asked. Amy handed him a thin, lumpy biscuit. He took a bite.

“Wow. Crisp…is that elderberries I taste?” Philip asked. Amy nodded.

“Yeah. There is a small grove of elderberries behind the prison, and I asked Sophia to join me in gathering them.” Amy then gave Philip a few more of the biscuits and went on her way back to cooking.

~~~…

Lori was holding her baby in a small rabbit skin sling. Judith was snoring softly as she was held by her mother. She glanced around the group, making note that Roy and Jenna were not amongst the folks.

“Carl, sweetie?” Her son was jogging by, content with his apocalypse life.

“Yeah, mom? Do you need anything?” he asked. Lori bit her lips.

“…where is Jenna? I want to ask her something.” Carl gave her a peculiar look. She inwardly winced. So, she wasn’t being discreet with her malice towards the girl.

“She went out with Roy…why do you want to know? I mean, everyone knows that you and Andrea hate her.” Carl pointed out. Lori winced outwardly this time.

“I know. But I have to ask her something. Can you please tell her I need to talk to her?” she asked again. Carl nodded, but he saw something behind him.

“You can ask her yourself. She’s right there.” Carl pointed to Jenna and Roy slipping through a part of the fence being guarded by a limbless and jawless walker. Roy held something in his arms, and it was squirming. Jenna was smiling and eating some berries she found.

“Hey, Carl. Look what my sister and I found!” Roy ran up to the other boy, showing the fuzzy thing in his arms. Carl gasped.

“A cat!” At his announcement, many of the other kids came and gathered around the boy, all in awe with the friendly feline.

“Take her to Hershel to make sure she’s healthy. I think she might be pregnant.” Carl nodded and went off to find Hershel, a gaggle of girls right behind him.

“Jenna,” Lori whispered. Turning, Jenna waited for Lori to speak.

“What’s up? Is everything alright?” she asked. Lori saw both the Dixons and Sarah start to casually move towards them. Was she really that cruel to the younger woman?

“I want to thank you. Its thanks to you I was able to have my baby and survive. So, I want to make amends. I was cruel to you. I’ve hit you, yelled at you, and yet you still helped me. Why?” she asked Jenna smiled.

“Carl is going to grow up quicker than you would like. He looks to Rick and Shane to teach him to be a man. But he needs his mother to show him how to be human. In my world, You had two ways you’ve died. In one way, you lived and raised your baby for a few weeks. In another, you died in childbirth. But both times Rick lost his mind in his grief.” Lori gasped at the response.

“What happened to my baby?” she asked. Jenna grimaced.

“Well…she died with you, in the version that you died a few weeks after giving birth. In the other, she lived and was a very cherished baby, with even the burliest of men,” Jenna glanced humorously at Daryl, who was now standing a few feet away, “wrapped around her stubby little finger. She grew up to be a kind-hearted, but still a badass little girl, raised by Rick until his death, I think, And many others. She kinda sparked the saying ‘it takes a village.’” Jenna then gestured to hold Judith. Still dazed, Lori handed the newborn over. Jenna began to gently bounce the baby, singing softly.

“That song. What’s it called?” she asked. Jenna smiled.

“Dunno. I learned to sing it in my high school choir class. I enjoyed the tune, so I sang it for my brothers.” Jenna then took a seat next to Lori, still singing. Daryl stalked over and sat next to her feet. Lori thought he reminded her of an agitated puma. Merle turned and walked away, going over to bother Michonne. Sarah went on her back to cooking hardtack.

“Can you sing it for us? A bit louder so we can hear the words too?” Lori asked. Jenna nodded. She calmly rocked Judith, smiling as her baby grey eyes watched her.

“ _Here I sit and wait for you_

_'Neath the spreading branches._

_Cool the grass with shade and dew,_

_Sunlight round me dances._

_Hei, lu lia lia la, loud my voice is ringing,_

_Hei, lu lia lia la, songs to you I'm singing._

_Fall is in the air today,_

_Hear the wild geese crying._

_Don't delay come while you may,_

_Snow will soon be flying._

_Hei, lu lia lia la, loud my voice is ringing,_

_Hei, lu lia lia la, songs to you I'm singing_.” she sang it in a slow, serene pace, drawing over the younger girls as her voice cracked and pitched with the melody. She sung it twice more, and then gently handed Judith back.

“I think she’s getting hungry.” Jenna then stood and began her odd swaying walk away.

“She does that if she is pent up with energy. That weird walk of hers. Helps her somehow.” Daryl mentioned. He also stood to go after Jenna, stopping slightly to smile at the baby.

“She’s cute. Going to be one hell of an asskicker when’s she’s grown.” The gruff man walked off after his younger lover. Lori looked down at Judith, smiling as the infant sucked on her fist.

~~~…

Alice and Will saw the guy they ditched, Philip, hand their note over to Jenna. She grinned as she watched from the distance Jenna’s pale skin turn ashy, dropping to her knees.

“It looks like our plan is working,” Will muttered. Alice nodded.

“We’ll post a few men in town. Tell them to grab her and anyone she’s with and bring them back to Woodbury. If she doesn’t come…we go to them.” Will nodded again.

“Scorched Earth theory, I’m guessing?” Will joked.

“What else?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nondescriptive rape in this chapter

“Please. I have to find him. He’s my brother.” Daryl wasn’t used to hearing Jenna plead, but the heartbreak she was admitting was swaying him over. Clinging to the hem of her skirt, Roy was crying. It took a lot for the boy to cry openly.

“I know. You would move Hell and Tide to find your sibling, hell, I would too. But you can’t go alone.”’ Rick stood behind them, also concerned that Jenna was trembling.

“I know I can’t go alone. But I still have to go.” Jenna replied. Rick nodded.

“I’ll go with you. If he’s from your world, he’ll recognize me as you did. Daryl, Shane. You two keep things under control here.” Daryl made a move to protest, but Jenna placed a hand on his chest.

“Please, stay here and watch out for Roy, until I get back. We’ll only go to the town and search around. Keep an eye on the fences. If it was him who left the note, he won’t be far. But Rick and I will check the town, find some sign. If not, then we should be back in three days.” Jenna reassured. Daryl grunted and placed his own hand over Jenna’s.

“Just be safe. I need you,” he whispered. Rick turned to see both Lori and Sarah fretting. He moved over to them.

“I’ll be back in three days. If not, then four. Look, I’ll take a walkie with me, leave the other here. We’ll check in every hour.” he reassured. Lori nodded.

“We understand. This Joshua is family. If Jenna wants to look for him, we can’t stop her.” Lori whispered. Sarah then moved to cling to Rick.

“Please. Find my little brother. Or at least bring us peace.” she asked. Rick hugged her gently. He was growing to love this curvy woman.

“I will. You have my word.”

After an hour of gathering, Jenna and Rick hopped on Oakley and another horse nicknamed Wild Bill. Both held their weapons ready, and two saddlebags of supplies. It should be more than enough. With Merle and Morgan opening the gates, they went off.

Sarah and Daryl watched as their lovers left.

“Something is telling me this is not going to end well,” Sarah whispered. Daryl grunted.

“I feel it too.” Both watched as the two leaving made their mounts hurry.

~~~…

The town was quiet. Will was resting in a deserted bar when he heard the clip-clop of horse hooves. Staying low, he glanced outside. And grinned. It was the weak Alice look-a-like. She had company. It wasn’t Daryl, but a curly-haired skinny guy that seemed too delicate to thrive. He slipped deeper into hid hideout and turned on a small radio.

“Alice. She’s here. She ain’t alone, though.”

“That’s fine. Keep them occupied until the rest of the team gets there.” Alice replied. Will grinned.

“You got it.” flicking the radio off, Will decided he was going to have some fun. He went to work building a Molotov.

~~~…

Rick slid off Wild Bill as Jenna hopped off of Oakley.

“Where would your brother be at if he was here?” Rick asked. Jenna readied her bow but remained a bit relaxed.

“Joshua adored sports. If there is a sporting goods store in this town, he’ll be there. But Rick, somethings wrong, now that I think about it.” Jenna began to walk through the town, peering down alleys for lurking walkers.

“What is it?” Rick had his colt ready, not for walkers, but for people. Jenna drew her bow and aimed it at a walker shuffling their way. She let the arrow fly, dropping the animated corpse.

“The note. The more I think about it, the less it makes sense.” She slipped over to the walker and grabbed her arrow, wiping the blackened blood on her skirt.

“What about the note?” Rick glanced down another Alley, finding nothing.

“It was my brother’s name, but it wasn’t his handwriting. The handwriting is familiar though. I can’t quite place it.” she replied.

“What do you mean?” Rick asked. He turned around, scowling as he searched for whatever set off his instincts. Jenna downed another walker as she moved through the streets.

“I can’t put my finger on it. I know I’ve seen the handwriting before. Oh well. There’s a sporting good store up that way. Let’s check it out.” Rick followed Jenna as she began to sway-walk.

As they headed for the store, both suddenly ducked as something went flying over their heads. Jenna let out a squeal of surprise as Rick immediately went on the offense.

“What the hell was that?!” Jenna yelped. The shattering crash of glass rang from where the object fell. Rick kept an eye out for the one who caused the trajectory.

“Damn, I missed.” Both turned to face their assailant, Rick aiming his gun and Jenna aiming an arrow with her bow. The man walking towards them was older, about Hershel’s age. He was broad and muscular for his advancing age, but he walked with a slow swagger. Jenna thought it looked like a Komodo dragon’s prowl. His hair was sheared close to his scalp, while his too clean clothes looked painted on from his bulk.

“Who the hell are you?” Jenna snarled. Rick knew to listen to the younger woman. If she didn’t know him, it was bad.

“Name’s Buck. My old lady and I were watching your group for a while. But we were watching you.” he pointed at Jenna, making her flinch. Rick moved to stand in front of the woman.

“She asked you a question! Who are you?” Rick snarled out. Buck grinned, revealing too many tobacco-stained teeth. He began to laugh, a chortling cackle that both Rick and Jenna recognized. It sounded like Merle’s.

“...You’re Will Dixon. Daryl and Merle’s shitty father.” Jenna stated, keeping her bow aimed at the man. Will grinned.

“Ah, My sons. Merle, I’m not too worried about, but Daryl…should have drowned the pup at birth.” Both Rick and Jenna snarled at Will for his cruel remarks to their beloved comrade. Jenna let loose her arrow, missing Will by an inch.

“….Was it you? Did you send the note?” Rick asked, keeping his gun on the older man. Will scoffed.

“I wanted to kill the bitch when I saw her. But my old lady wants her alive.” He lifted his head and let out three sharp whistles. The next thing Rick and Jenna knew, they were surrounded by too many men.

Something pricked Jenna in the arm. To her, it felt a bit harder than a mosquito. She looked down at her arm.

“A Tranquilizer?” She muttered. Rick let out a grunt as one his him too. Before long, both collapsed onto the pavement. Before she could slip into the blackness of unconsciousness, Jenna dropped something that she hoped went unnoticed by Will and his lackeys.

~~~…

Daryl was pacing around the perimeter like a pent up wild cat, Jenna’s ugly dog following him for some reason. Murphy was near grown now, big and ugly like a hellhound. His muzzle formed a more box shape, his poorly cropped ears ragged from fights from mischievous foxes and coyotes. Daryl smiled as the mutt kept pace with him, occasionally pissing on a walker that was unlucky enough to cross his urine path. Snowball, while not as large as Murphy, was a pure white and skinny wolfling. The half-grown cub was loyal to Jenna and Daryl.

“Dare. Take a break. We can’t worry about Jenna and Rick until they come back.” Sarah called out. She was worried about her lover as well. Janie was napping in her pallet pen with Andre, as Jordan was learning from Merle how to set bird snares. Daryl stopped with a snarl.

“I don’t like this. Where’s Popeye?” Sarah rolled her eyes at the nickname for Philip, but she motioned over to where the other man was shadowing Hershel as they inspected an injured calf. Sophia and Duane were watching as well. Carl was shadowing Morgan with Axel and Oscar.

“Phil! I need to see that note!” Philip nodded and pulled out the slip of paper, handing it to the gruff redneck. Over his shoulder, he heard Sarah gasp.

“Daryl. That’s not Joshua’s handwriting. It belongs to someone much worse.” Daryl felt the clammy grip of terror etching on to his face.

“Whose handwriting is this?” Daryl asked. Sarah was shaking, terrified for some reason.

“It belongs to Alice Redfern. Jenna’s mother.”

“FUCK! MERLE!! It was a trap!” Daryl shouted for his brother, also alerting Shane, Big Tiny, and T-Dog. Sarah was searching for someone, probably Roy.

“Daryl. What the hell are you going on about?” Shane asked, already on alert as Daryl began searching for supplies for some reason.

“This note wasn’t written by Joshua Redfern. But by an Alice Redfern.” Daryl was met with confused gasps. Except for Sophia, who gasped and paled as she heard the name.

“Jenna’s mama?” she whispered. Daryl nodded.

“How did you know?” Daryl asked, calming himself so he doesn’t freak out the children. Sophia fretted with her hands.

“Back at the farm. I asked Jenna is her mama was like my daddy. She said yes. So I wanted to know her name. Jenna told me.” Sophia was panicking as well. She grew to love Jenna as an older sister. Daryl turned to stare at Shane.

“Call a meeting. We need to make a plan to get her and Rick back.” Shane nodded.

~~~…

Rick groaned as he came to. Wincing as he opened his eyes, the ex-sheriff noticed he was in a bleak metal room, strapped to a fucking chair with cuffs. He couldn’t see Jenna anywhere.

“Rick Grimes. I have to say I ain’t impressed with what I’ve seen.” a woman called out. He couldn’t see her, but he could tell that the woman had a melodious voice, a bit scratchy from cigarette usage, and something lacking: warmth and emotion.

“Who’s there?” Rick called out. The door of the room opened, and in walked a Rubenesque woman. Rick gasped. She looked like Jenna, but crueler, older, and somehow just as beautiful.

“My name is Alice Redfern. I’m called the Governess. You’ve met Will, my partner. I wanted to talk to you first before I go interrogate my daughter.” Alice pulled out another chair, sitting down with serpentine grace.

“What do you want?” Rick asked. He heard a few things about Alice, and he didn’t like them. Alice smiled at him, a cold twist of a familiarly warm face.

“I don’t want anything but my daughter. My bug belongs to me. Just give her to me, and I will leave you and the prison alone. I just want my daughter.” Alice’s voice almost sounded like a yearning mother, but it still lacked the kindness that one would associate with it.

“Jenna told me about you. How cruel you were, and how you murdered her siblings. Why should she stay here with you?” Rick asked. Alice’s calm and friendliness faded away.

“She’s my daughter. Wouldn’t you want to have a fresh start with your child?” Alice asked.

“Jenna doesn’t belong to you. She is happier with me and my group.” Rick stated. Alice stood, her face screwed into a sneer.

“I’ll make her see reasoning.” she stood and left the room. In walked in an ape of a man.

“Martinez. He’s all yours.” Rick began to struggle as the ape-man, Martinez, pulled out a thin knife. He traced the blade along his cheekbone, bringing up blood.

~~~…

Will stood outside of the other room, waiting for Alice. His lover came over.

“She still refusing?” she asked. Will nodded.

“She’s stubborn. But she ain’t cracking. Should I continue?” Will asked. Alice closed her eyes and glanced into the room. There was a small window in the doorway, so she could see her stubborn firstborn.

Jenna’s shirt was torn, showing welts along her chest and neck. She had bruises around her throat, and her lip was bleeding. But Jenna was glaring at the door as if she could burn it with her woodland colored glower.

“…Do what you want with her.” Alice walked away, making note that Will started to undo his belt.

Jenna sneered at Will Dixon as he slipped in. She frowned as he locked the door behind him, his belt already undone and his fly being pulled down.

“Looks like Mommy Dearest doesn’t care for you anymore.” Will taunted. Jenna scoffed.

“Like she cared anyway.” Will bolted over and smacked Jenna across the face, splitting her lip once more.

“Watch your tone, you little bitch. At any rate, I’m going to enjoy this.” He lifted Jenna by her neck and threw her across the convenient table. He hiked up her skirt, exposing her round ass. Jenna began to struggle as she realized what Will was going to do. He laughed, and plunged in two of his fingers, caressing her velvety walls inside.

“Don’t want to go in dry.” Jenna fought as she felt her body responding to the stimulus, Will removed his fingers and lined up his now free cock. Jenna struggled some more. Will pressed his larger body over Jenna’s slimmer frame, trapping her. He licked along her ear and thrust his hips, burying himself deep within the younger woman. Jenna screamed.


	5. Chapter 5

Daryl had Shane, Philip, and begrudgingly Jimmy with him as they looked for Rick and Jenna. He kept Merle at the prison as much needed muscle with Morales, the ex-cons, T-Dog, and those who couldn’t fight. Both Roy and Carl wanted to come along, but Sarah and Shane made them stay back with the notion they needed able-bodied men watching Merle. Daryl had to smile as Merle went along with the joke.

In the town, there were a few walkers shambling about. All four made quick work of the corpses.

“Found a walker. Looks like Jenna’s work.” Philip called out, kneeling over a corpse. Daryl jogged over.

“Yeah, that was killed by Jenna. She likes to aim under the eye of walkers. I think it’s because she so short, she can’t aim anywhere else.” Shane replied over Daryl’s shoulder. Shane then glanced over the other dead walkers.

“I don’t see any bullets. If they were ambushed, Rick didn’t get off one round.” Shane mentioned. Jimmy was kneeling over something a few feet away.

“Hey, Daryl? Isn’t this Jenna’s?” all three grown men dashed over to see what he was kneeling above. Daryl knelt down and picked up the object.

It was a ring. Daryl found it on a run over the winter and gave it to Jenna. But it was too small for her surprisingly large fingers, so she made a bracelet out of some deer hide along with some of Murphy’s teeth. The ring was nothing fancy, a chunky fake gold thing with heather stones in the set. But they were purple heather stone, which Daryl found out was Jenna’s favorite color. He picked up the bracelet.

“It was a trap. She figured it out it was a trap. That’s why she dropped this.” Daryl snarled. Shane was growling too.

“Fuck. Where did she go? She has to be somewhere.” he asked.

“Isn’t Sarah and Roy from the same world she is? Why don’t we ask them?” Jimmy quipped. Philip let out a whistle.

“Heads up. We got a truck coming. It ain’t one of ours.” The four men then took cover behind a burnt dumpster. Daryl pulled out a gun, while Shane and Philip did the same. Jimmy got a knife ready, he was still getting used to being left-handed, so a knife was safer.

~~~…

“You sure the little bitch dropped something?” Will snarled at Martinez. Martinez nodded and began scanning the area. He stepped out of the truck to search the ground. Will was right behind him.

“Positive. It was this ugly looking ring and bracelet, but homemade. Her group will know it.” Martinez then let out a string of curses.

“Fuck. Someone was here. These rotters are freshly killed, and the bracelet is gone.” Will turned and smacked Martinez.

“You stupid fuck! It could have been her group! And if these dead freaks are fresh, then they are nearby! It doesn’t matter anymore. Just keep an eye out for new folks. The little bitch ain’t talking anyway, and neither is that blue-eyed prick.” Will delivered a swift kick to a walker and turned to head back into the claimed truck. Martinez focused on a burnt dumpster. The shadows were too big for the object.

“Will, how was the little bitch in the sack?” Martinez had an idea, but he needed input from the older man. Will stepped out of the truck again, an ugly grin on his face.

“She’s feisty. No matter how much I take her, she doesn’t talk, doesn’t scream after the first time, and tightens up nicely. I’d take her mouth, but I’m fond of my cock.” Will gloated. Martinez focused on a shadow, making note that some of it were moving.

“Do you think you’ll share? I kinda want to try her as well.” Martinez raised his voice just slightly, so it carried. He made a movement with his head, indicating Will towards the dumpster. Will was ugly, but he ain’t dumb. He caught on quickly.

“Sure. She could use the practice” raising his weapon, both Martinez and Will inched closer to the dumpster.

“Fuck that.” Daryl rose to his feet and aimed his bow at the pair of men. Shane, Jimmy, and Philip raised their guns at the men. Daryl flinched.

“Dad…” The older man smirked.

“I figured it was your useless ass that little bitch was crying for. She’s loyal, that one. Never gave an inch no matter what I’ve done to her.” Will kept his gun raised and pointed at Philip, surprisingly.

“And you. I thought you would have died by now. A pathetic waste of space and his bitchy runt.” Philip sneered at the man.

“Yeah, well. The little bitch as you call her gave me a chance. She is a good woman, unlike Alice.” Philip kept his gun on Will, as Shane and Jimmy rushed at his companion, frisking him quickly and subduing him as well. Daryl kept his bow level with Will. 

“We heard everything. How you raped Jenna, tortured her. Do you think we are going to let you live after that?” Daryl snarled. Will sneered.

“Alice and I realized that you were fucking with her daughter. We already know where the prison is. Why fight? We can take you out anytime.” Daryl did something he always dreamed of: he rushed Will and slammed his bow into his solar plexus, knocking him out. Shane then knocked out his friend.

“Load them up in their truck. We’re taking them back with us.” Before he could move, two loud whinnies rang through the town. Jimmy and Philip turned to see Oakley and Wild Bill trotting over to them, looking very happy to see them. Shane reached out to grab Oakley’s bridle as Daryl grabbed Wild Bill’s.

“That’s a plus, I guess. The horses are fine. Shane. Jimmy and I will ride the horses back. You and Philip drive their truck.” Shane nodded and went about to his job. Daryl stroked Oakley’s neck, calming the mare.

“We’ll find her. We have to.”

~~~…

Rick was thrown into the darkened room, his clothes removed from him. It was cold, but he could feel that someone else is in here.

“Rick?” The sheriff felt instant relief as hearing Jenna call his name.

“Jenna. Oh my god. Are you in here? Are you okay?” he asked. Jenna moved closer to him. She was also lacking clothes, but Rick was more focused on the bruises around her thighs, stomach, and neck.

“I’ll be okay…that’s a lie.” She sat down near Rick, wrapping her arms around her legs, shivering as she tried to keep warm. Rick sat near her as well, offering his own nude body for warmth.

“What did that guy do to you?” He asked. Jenna shivered.

“…nothing that hasn’t been done before. What about you? Are you okay?” Jenna gave Rick a once overglance. He too was covered in bruises, around his chest, shoulders, and even his groin.

“I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about you.” Jenna gave Rick a wry smile. Both naked folks shuddered as the cold air prickled their skin.

“…I know you are with Daryl, but please, curl next to me. I can use my body to keep you warm.” Rick asked. Jenna rubbed her arms to prevent chill.

“You sure? Won’t Sarah be upset?” she asked. Rick smiled at the girl.

“I think Sarah would be more upset that I let you suffer than us cuddling naked.” Jenna knew he had a point, so she complied.

Jenna’s lush form pressed against Rick’s lean body. Some of her shiverings eased.

“Thank you. It’s helping,” she whispered. Rick nodded.

An hour later, the door opened. Both Rick and Jenna waited for their captor to show themselves.

“Buggy…” a woman called out in a sing-song voice. Jenna flinched, and to Rick’s surprise, tried to hide behind him.

“My Bug. Come here, now.” the woman crooned. Jenna flinched again.

“Jenna! Come here! Now! Listen to your mother!” Rick gasped.

“You’re Alice, Jenna’s mother.” Alice smiled at Rick and moved in closer into the room.

“And You’re Rick Grimes. Jenna’s little idol, after that redneck. She had a crush on you, you know?” Rick could feel the embarrassment radiating off of his friend.

“So? She’s with Daryl now.” Rick then tried to shield Jenna from her cruel mother. Alice scowled.

“I know. I know all about your little prison, and the garden, and her fucking with a much older man. But her mother is here now. And I want her here in Woodbury, with me.” Alice gave Rick a lightbulb smile, bright and empty. But he saw past that. He saw the cold cruelty and darkness inside her.

“That ain’t gonna happen. Jenna stays with us.” Alice scowled.

“We’ll see about that. Shumpert!” turning on her heel, Alice had a bored-looking man with short dreads open the door. Rick remained in front of Jenna, protecting her. Alice turned to sneer at her daughter.

“Shumpert, make her see reason. Any way possible.” Both Jenna and Rick felt the blood drain from their faces as the man gave them a sneer. Alice left, and Shumpert pulled out a gun and pointed it at the two.

“Will ain’t here, so I guess I’m gonna have fun.” Keeping the weapon trained on the two, the man began to undo his fly.

~~~…

Merle and Michonne watched as the truck that carried a handful of their men to find Jenna and Rick, came back so quickly. Dale, the ever-vigilant old man, was the first to spot the two newcomers. Earlier, Jenna and Daryl scrounged up walkie talkies, so he called it in.

“Morales, Merle. Daryl and the others are back. They have company.” He continued to keep watch as Merle, Michonne, Sarah, Big Tiny and Oscar ran over, ready for trouble.

Daryl all but threw his captive onto the wet earth as Shane tossed his next to the other. Merle let out a gasp, and then a snarl. He already was storming over to the older man and punched him hard.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Merle snarled. The older man, who was almost mirrored to Merle’s physical features, grinned.

“Hello, Merle. Nice to see you too.” Merle punched him again. Both Oscar and Morales pulled the man away from the older fellow. Daryl decided to take charge since everyone else was overcharged with strained energy. He turned to Philip and Jimmy.

“Take these two and place them in separate cells. Michonne, Andrea. You go and gather everyone into the main room. Oscar, Axel. You two help Philip and Jimmy. Shane, can you go find the kids? We need to tell them.” Everyone nodding, the crowd dispersed. Daryl turned to reach out to his livid brother.

“Merle? Bro, you alright?” he had to thank Jenna for helping him approach his brother with calm and caution. Merle shook his head.

“Why is he alive? I thought he died a long fucking time ago.” Merle whispered. He was shaking. Daryl has never seen his brother act like this.

“He is the fucker who took Jenna and Rick. We are going to get answers. One way or another.” Daryl placed a roughened hand on Merle’s broader shoulder. Merle leaned into the touch.

After a few minutes, the group was gathered. Axel, Andrea, and Morales remained outside on guard while everyone waited. Shane stepped forward first.

“The men we brought back are part of the group that took Rick and Jenna. And from what we heard from them… it's horrific.” Sarah stood next.

“Who are they? Where are our family members?” she asked/demanded. Philip held Penny as she clung to her father.

“The older man is Will Dixon. He is a cruel, dark man that made Mine and Penny’s life more of a hell than it needed to be. He has a partner named Alice. Wherever she is, that’s where we’ll find our friends.” Philip glanced around the group, taking in their shocked faces. Merle turned and punched one of the stone walls, splitting his knuckles.

“That fucker is Daryl and Mine’s daddy. He is a piece of shit that doesn’t deserve to breathe the air we give him.” Merle punched the wall again, making the few near him flinch from the self-violence. Carol walked over and was able to coax the gruff redneck onto a chair to tend to his injured hand. Daryl spoke up now.

“When we went into the town, looking for our friends, we overheard him bragging about torturing our friends. He…” Daryl clenched his fist tight, drawing blood in his palms. He took a deep breath. Lori wanted to reach out, but her hands were full with baby Judith and a fretting Carl. She glanced at Shane for answers. He motioned that they pay attention to Daryl.

“He raped Jenna. Bragged about it. He doesn’t deserve to live. But we need information. We would have killed them right here, right now. But we need to know where our friends are.” Before he could continue, Roy darted up, tugging on the man’s wrist. The whole group turned to listen to the nine-year-old.

“I think I know where my sister is! Sarah, can I tell them?” Roy glanced to his older sister for confirmation. The curvy woman nodded.

“Do it.” nodding, Roy took in a deep breath.

“Before Jenna saved the Blakes, it would have been him and Merle, who attack the group. Merle was left alone in Atlanta, and somehow got mixed up with an insane Philip, who called himself the Governor. But Philip is on our side now, so is Merle. But the town where they stayed at was called Woodbury.” The group were starting to grow used to the fact the Redferns know more than they let on, so they didn’t react so heavily. Sarah took over from there.

“I need a map. I think I can find Woodbury.”

~~~…

Rick was horrified. The man, Shumpert, kept his gun on him as he had other men march in. He had one guy, a skinny man with a mop of stringy curls, hold Jenna down as another tied her legs to the legs of a dragged in a table. She was open and exposed.

“We aren’t gonna touch her. You are.” Rick felt his face drain. He looked at Jenna’s blank face. She already knew. The men made lewd sounds and gestures as yet another man forced Rick between her thighs.

“Rick…Do it. I can take it.” Jenna’s voice reverberated in the room. Several of the men hooted.

“She’s a fiery one! Think Dixon will let me sample her when he gets back?” one chirped, earning more hoots. Shumpert chuckled, a slimy dark sound from his throat.

“Get going. The little whore waits.” He pulled back the hammer of his pistol, keeping it level with not Rick’s head, but over the scar of his old wound.

“If I reopen that nasty scar…how long do you think you’ll bleed out and turn?” he sneered.

“Rick. It’s alright.” Jenna tried to soothe the older man. Rick shuddered and he placed his hands next to her shoulders, lining up his still flaccid cock with her torn opening.

“Hell yeah, boys. We got us a show now!” Rick closed his eyes, feeling the burn of tears trickle down his face as he rolled his hips into her. She gasped, clenching around him tightly and suddenly. Rick bit back the unwanted moan of pleasure as he felt his body go rigid with undesired lust.

Rick yelped as he felt one of their captors smack the curve of his ass making him lurch harder. Jenna, despite her soft gasps of pain, remained silent. She kept her eyes focused on his own, as if she was comforting him.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Rick whimpered. He kept his pace steady, trying not to build his arousal. But the men seemed to grow impatient.

One of the men had a baton, and stuck Rick’s back.

“Hurry it up! Give us a good show! Or we will take her instead.” Shumpert snapped. He motioned for one of the men to do something to Jenna. The one who tied her down grinned and punched her hard in her soft belly. Rick groaned as her body constricted around him. Jenna turned her head and retched, her body attempting the vomit.

“Rick…Just fuck me. Think of me as someone else if it helps.” Rick felt his heart clench with grief. But as much as he tried to call forth slender limbs and dark brown hair and light hazel eyes, he could only concentrate on plush thighs and arms, briar thick hair and woodland colored eyes.

~~~…

With the map all traced and ready, Daryl was ready to leave to get his lover back. Shane, Oscar, Philip, Andrea, and Sarah all were gonna join him. Merle, Michonne, Morales, Dale, Amy and Hershel were gonna retreat the group deeper into the prison for protection, along with the children. Axel and Big Tiny were gonna hide among the livestock in walker fat treated calf skins. camp. Amy, Patricia, and Miranda were currently making canned goods and dried foods for the group to eat while hiding in the bowels of the prison. According to the Redfern siblings, Woodbury attacked the group when they were weak, and it took several lives.

Carol was gently bouncing a fussy Janie as Sarah was saying her farewell to her daughters and little brother. Lori was giving her farewell’s to Shane as Amy did the same. Big Tiny was donning his calf skins with Axel, the Morales kids staying close to their mother. Penny was clinging to her father, crying and terrified.

“Shh…Penny. I’ll be back with Jenna and Rick. We should be back before tomorrow night. Be brave for me.” Penny whimpered and clung to her father, clutching the stuffed squirrel that Jenna scavenged for her so many months ago.

“Does everyone know the plan? We can’t fuck this up. If this Governor is Alice, then we have one hell of a fight on our hands. Once we get Jenna and Rick, we leave and start prepping for a battle.” Shane commanded.

“Let’s go.” Loading up into the back of the truck, the rescue team was now on the move.

“Shane, what do we do with Will and Martinez once we are back?” Philip asked.

“Execution. Plain and simple.”


	6. Chapter 6

Roy was bored. And when he was bored, he got into trouble. This time he had help. Sophia, Carl, Duane, and Jordan were following him as he slipped through the bowels of the prison.

“Roy? Where are you going?” Sophia asked. Roy turned and gave the team of pre-teens a maniacal grin that normally took place on Jenna’s pretty face. 

“It’s been a little over a week since Judith was born.” Carl gave him a weird look.

“So?” Roy turned to Jordan. She grinned as she realized what he meant.

“Oh yeah. Let’s go find them!” Roy nodded and led the group further in, Sophia following without question. Carl and Duane were both obviously confused, but followed anyway.

~~~…

Tyreese Williams was over the moon at seeing the prison, despite that the walls were a heap of crumble sandstone bricks. His sister, Sasha gave the rundown building a skeptical sneer. Behind him, Allan and Ben held up a limp Donna.

“Is it safe?” he asked.

“Safer than out here.” Since Tyreese was stronger, being an ex bouncer, he lifted Donna over his shoulders like a bag of potatoes. Sasha smashed the face of one walker with her shovel.

They slipped in, taking a few silent minutes to catch their breaths.

“Ty!” Sasha called out as a small cluster of walkers stumbled over, rotting mouths open, decaying arms reaching out for them. Donna let out a scream as one dug it’s blackened teeth into her shoulder.

“NO!!!” Allen bellowed as Donna fell to the walker. Tyreese ran over and dispatched the corpse, let out a soft curse as Donna was still clinging to life.

A series of gunshots echoed over the building, walkers dropping like broken marionettes.

“Over here! This way!” Tyreese paused for half a second as five fucking kids felled walkers. He didn’t stop for long and ushered his group after the kids.

Following the children, Tyreese and Sasha finally took a deep breath of relief as the children led them towards a hidden library. In the room were several adults, five younger kids, a newborn, two dogs, a very fat cat, and a chicken. The oldest two men, both grey-haired and bearded, stood to approach them.

“I’m Dale.” said one with a fisher hat.

“I’m Hershel.” said the one who looked like Santa Claus on Slim Fast. Tyreese offered his hand to shake.

“I’m Tyreese. This is my little sister Sasha, Allen, and his boy Ben, and Donna. I should thank those kids. They saved our asses.” shaking the older man’s hand, Tyreese decided to take a good look at the folks around the room.

“We were just gonna go search for them, but it seems they went searching for you.” Hershel then motioned for the smaller group to come close.

“There are more of us, but we had some trouble. Our two leaders, Jenna and Rick, got captured by some terrible people. We grabbed two of theirs, and several of our group went to rescue our comrades. But first, you need to do something about her.” the man pointed at Donna. Tyreese, let out a sigh. Allen began to fight.

“I’m not leaving her!” the distraught man lunged at Dale, only to be shoved back by a burly man with short-cropped curls.

“Well now. We were going to let you in, but we can’t have her. She’s bit. Badly.” The man relaxed slightly as a tall, dark-skinned woman slapped him on the shoulder.

“I’m Michonne. Ignore Merle here. but he’s right. She has been bitten too badly to help. We can make her comfortable, but she has to be put down soon. We have babies here. We cannot risk them.” Michonne watched as Allen dropped to his knees, crying. His tall and skinny son fell next to him.

“I can’t just kill her.” he moaned.

“Like it matters anymore.” Merle pointed out. Allen glared at the man.

“What do you mean by that?” he snarled. Merle pointed towards Donna’s limp body.

“She took her last breath a few minutes ago. You best put a knife in her brain before she reanimates.” Allen turned to see that he was right. Donna was limp, a deep pool of blood under her body. Her skin was grey, and her chest did not rise. She was dead. Allen let out a sob as he took in her chilling body. Still sobbing, he took her from Where Tyreese set her down, clutching her body. Giving her a kiss, he brought his knife to her temple, but he could not do it.

In the End, Tyreese did it.

“Here we have Morgan. He’s a doctor. This here is Lori and Judith. Judith is our newest addition, not even a month old. These two are Miranda Morales and her husband Miles. These are Cipriano and Eliza Morales, their children. Next, we have Carol. She is keeping watch on Janie, Jordan, and Roy. This is Amy. Her sister is out looking for our leaders. Maggie and Beth, they're Hershel's daughters.. We have Big Tiny and Axel outside watching over the livestock. This is Penny. Her daddy is looking for our leaders as well. This is Andre, he’s Michonne’s baby. And the boy with one hand is Jimmy. You’ve met the others. Kids, introduce yourselves.” Dale rounded up. Roy introduced himself first.

“I’m Roy. Janie and Jordan’s uncle.”

“Duane. Morgan is my daddy.”

“Sophia. Carol is my mom.”

“Jordan. My mom went looking for my aunt.”

“I’m Carl. Lori is my mom, Judith is my baby sister. My dad got captured with Jenna.”

Tyreese thanked each little nimrod for helping him. He felt something rubbing against his leg. Looking down, he saw a very pregnant cat purring and asking to be picked up. He smiled.

“How long have you’ve guys been here?” he asked. Sasha was led away to a table to be checked over by Morgan. Hershel sat down with a grunt and the two dogs, Tyreese is sure the white one is a wolf and the darker one is a hellhound, loped over to him for petting.

“We’ve been here for about ten months. With Jenna’s guidance, we thrived. She got us to make an indoor garden for fresh vegetables and herbs during the winter and taught the children whatever she could. Rick led us and planned for any trouble. Got the kids to become weapon savvy, but he relied on Jenna for quite a bit.” The darker dog whined happily as Hershel scratched behind his knot of an ear.

“This Jenna sounds like an amazing woman. I hope to meet her.” taking a seat next to the older man, Tyreese gave off a bewildered scowl as the chicken came hopping over for attention.

“That’s Lucky. She is kind of a mascot for us. She lives up to her name, that’s for sure. She had two others in her small flock, but they got eaten over the winter for stew, got too old and injured to be any good. This one though…The children love her. She saved our skins a few times. Found a copperhead slithering too close to the babies one day and thrashed it until it died. She ate it and did not get one bite.” Hershel explained.

“Wow. What an awesome bird.” Hershel chuckled. 

“As I said, she lives up to her name.” Tyreese laughed.

“So, why are you all in the library?” he asked after a few minutes.

“When the other went to go get our leaders back, they asked us to stay deep in the prison for our safety. We have food and water for about a week, with the occasional egg that Lucky lays. We will stay here until they return.”

~~~…

Rick flinched as Jenna tended to his cuts and bruises. Both were still naked. Jenna had a deep, black bruise forming on her stomach. The men that Shumpert brought in seemed to like to punch her there.

“Jenna, you should rest. You are more injured between the two of us,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

“I’ve said it before, It nothing that hasn’t happened before.”

“…What happened?” he asked after a few minutes of silence. Jenna shrugged and gave Rick some water that one of the guards left them.

“My mom…she had to pay off some bookies, but she was flat broke. So…she sold me to them. They kept me for a couple of days, and then let me go. They grew bored with me, I suppose. After that, I was mom's bargaining chip. Whenever she couldn’t pay off loan sharks or dealers, she used me. One of her boyfriends even used me when he couldn’t get mom to fuck him. I had to make sure he kept his focus on me though.” Rick was horrified. 

“Why?” he asked.

“He began to look at my brothers. I couldn’t let what was happening to me happen to them.” Jenna took a drink of water as well, but only the tiniest of sips.

“I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m sorry that they made me…” he trailed off as his voice shuddered.

“I don’t blame you. You are a victim too. But we can’t lament now. We need to get out of here.” Rick nodded and stood, already looking around the room for anything, for something.

“Rick…Do you hear that?” pausing, Rick tried to focus on what Jenna heard. He heard it.

“It’s…gunfire.”

~~~…

Finding Woodbury was easy, thanks to Roy and Sarah’s map. Daryl already took out two guards with a bolt. Shane, Andrea, and Sarah took out one each. Oscar and Philip were approaching the walls, quick and silent. They peeked in through a crack, already spotting three more men with guns, and a couple of women.

“We may have to go around. Too many right here.” Philip called out. Daryl and Shane nodded. Sticking close to the wall, they searched for a weak point.

“Right here.” Sarah found an opening in the wall, close to a building, but under the cover of the growing shadows. Since Sarah was the smallest, she slipped in first.

“It’s clear.” Andrea followed. Then Shane, Philip, and Daryl. Oscar went in last. Sarah drew her gun up, keeping watch as the others spread out.

“Where would Alice hold them?” Daryl asked. Sarah scanned the area.

“I think I know.” following her, the others remained light-footed as they slipped around unknowing guards, and light.

“Hey, you!” the group paused as someone spotted them. Philip was quicker and fired off two rounds into the man’s neck and forehead. All around them many more people began to fire. Sarah shot two men in the groin, earning winces from the four with her.

It was total mayhem.

~~~…

Jenna somehow got a corner of the metal off shaved off into a rudimentary blade as Rick broke one of the table legs Jenna was tied to earlier. From the other side of the door, both heard their guards shoot at someone, completely ignoring the two of them.

“Who do you think it is?” Rick asked. Jenna bit her lip.

“I don’t know. But this may be our chance.” Jenna then rushed the door, and it fell open! She turned back to him and grinned.

“No guards.” Nodding, Rick followed the naked girl, staying close. The entire hallway was roofing metal, and eerily silent.

“Well, we are out. Now what?” Rick asked. Jenna shrugged and paused, tilting her head in concentration.

“…This way.” taking her word for it, Rick followed.

Jenna found the exit...she thinks. And again…there were no guards. The sound of the gunfire was still loud but seems to be getting closer. Too close.

“Rick…Get back!” Both Jenna and Rick ducked just in time for a bullet to shatter a lone bulb above their heads. Since the ceiling was so low, either of them could have been hit by the seed shaped lead. The warmed glass peppered around the two of them.

“That could have gone worse.” Rick snipped wryly.

“No shit.” the younger woman replied. Since the hallway was dark now and there was glass all around them, Jenna and Rick crawled. Both of them, despite the wounds on them, made slow pace as to not injure themselves further on the shards. The hallways were wide enough for both Rick and Jenna to move side by side.

“Who do you think is causing mayhem?” Rick asked, as more bullets flew above them.

“Oh, definitely Daryl. Shane too, I hope. How long is this fucking hallway?” Jenna griped. Rick had to chuckle.

“We should be reaching a door soon.” As soon as he said that Rick and Jenna felt their heads bonk against a closed door. Neither of them was paying attention, anyway. Both too worried about being hit with stray bullets.

“How the hell are we going to open it without getting hit?” Rick asked.

“I’m thinking…” Jenna muttered.

They didn’t have to think for too long as the door opened.

“Jenna!”

“Rick!”

~~~…

Daryl fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Jenna’s bruised body as Shane did the same to Rick.

“Daryl. Oh, thank god. I knew you would come, I never faltered my faith!” Jenna was now crying into his chest. It was then he realized that both she and Rick were nude.

“Shit, what did they do to you?” Daryl was removing his shirt to cover his smaller partner. He didn’t give a shit that both Rick and Shane let out a hiss at his scarred back, his focus on covering Jenna. The shirt, which was lacking sleeves, was large on Jenna, trailing down to her knees and covering her bloodied groin. Shane somehow found a bedsheet and wrapped it around Rick’s battered body. He stood and held a slim gun that Shane gave him.

“We’ll be fine. Let’s get out of here.” Jenna stated, her voice blunt and her emotions guarded. Daryl handed her a knife. the quartet began to run out of the building and into the miniature warzone.

“What about Alice? What are we going to do about your mother?” Shane asked. Both Rick and Jenna paused in their running.

“…There's nothing we can do for now. Let’s just grab our people and start prepping for war. Setting traps around the prison. If she’s anything like the Governor was…she will bring a battalion.” Jenna stated. Rick was also stone-faced.

“…What did she do to you?” Shane asked. He finally took in the bruises around Rick’s shoulders, his back, and face. Hell, he had bruises at his groin as well.

“… It's best if we get back home.” Rick deflected. He shot a glance towards Jenna, her angelic face also stony.

They met up with the others after a few twists and turns around buildings. They all stood in front of an apartment complex. Jenna had a strange look on her face. She stopped running, making the other pause as well.

“…It’s here. This is where my mother is.” something shot through Jenna’s battered frame, like lightning coursing through her blood. She began to climb the stairs, Rick, Daryl, and Sarah right behind her.

“Sis…What’s wrong?” Sarah asked. Jenna kept climbing the darkened stairwell.

“… It's just a feeling. But I have to be sure.” Sarah sped up to follow her smaller sister.

“Like what?”

“…why did my mom pose as Joshua? Why leave me the note, acting like it was my brother? I think…I think mom has done something similar to the Governor did.”

Behind the Redfern sisters, Rick and Daryl caught traces of their conversation.

“Rick. What happened between you and Jenna? Something is wrong, and I can see and sense it.” Daryl asked. Behind them, Shane and Philip followed. Oscar was nowhere to be seen. Same with Andrea.

“Not now, Daryl.” Rick bit out. Daryl then grabbed Rick by his arm and spun him around. He quickly let go once he saw Rick was starting to panic, his skin slipping into ash colors and his eyes widening.

“Rick…what happened?” Daryl asked again, forcing his voice to be soft.

“Please…not right now.” Rick pleaded this time. Daryl took a step down, but he nodded.

~~~…

Alice grinned from behind the shadows as her daughter and surprisingly Sarah, slipped into the room. Jenna was bruised, buck ass naked as well. She scowled at that part. Seems Shumpert got carried away if her daughter’s blackened stomach was of any concern.

“Oh my god.” Sarah gasped out. Alice moved her eyes over to what the other woman spotted. Her collection.

A couple dozen walkers' heads were encased in wax, mouths sewn shut and eyelids removed. She had a couple more hanging by their hair, like shrunken heads voodoo practitioners decorated with.

Alice watched as Jenna glanced over the heads, occasionally pausing in front of one like she expected to know them. She grinned as Jenna turned to look at her bastardized _ofrenda_ and relished in her wail of anguish. She pressed herself deeper into the shadows as Rick, Daryl Dixon, that pathetic man called Blake, and a Broad-shouldered man whose face was also covered by the darkness.

~~~…

Sarah couldn’t move, but she was openly crying as Jenna gently cradled the wax-covered walker head to her chest, rocking, and sobbing. Daryl knelt down next to her. The head was moving it’s sewn jaw in a biting motion, but the threads through its teeth prevented it from opening its mouth.

“Jenna?” he asked, voice soft with concern. Jenna was still sobbing, trying to delicately pick off the wax from the head.

“No… No.” she choked out, her despair plain as the night sky. Rick knelt by her as well, Shane and Philip keeping guard. Outside, Sarah could still hear gunshots from Oscar and Andrea. Good.

“Jenna? Who is it?” Rick asked. The bedsheet he wore was like a toga, the hem trailing in some blood.

“…It’s my brother. It’s Joshua.” she whimpered, picking off the last pieces of wax, not even flinching when some of the flesh caked off like a scab. Sarah let out a louder sob. The sound was breaking the hearts of the men.

Joshua’s walkerized head was still trying to bite his sister, the shreds of his vocal cords making more of a shushing sound than growls. Sarah finally took a knee by her sister, reaching out to caress the waxy (from decomposition) cheek of her little brother.

“We can’t leave him here,” Jenna whispered, holding the head close to her breast, right above her heart. Sarah nodded.

“I know. We are gonna take him with us. Give him a proper burial.” Sarah tried to soothe her younger sister. It wasn’t working.

The sound of cold chuckling and slow clapping rang through the room. Besides the distraught Jenna, everyone raised their weapons and pointed them at the most shadowed corner of the apartment. Stepping out, Sarah gasped as Alice Redfern grinned like a rabid hyena at them, still clapping her hands.

“And just how far do you plan on going with my Josh and Bug?” she sneered. No one moved an inch or made a sound. Except for Jenna, who stood and turned on her calloused heels with a scream full of rage and agony. She leapt at her mother.


	7. Chapter 7

She didn’t think. She felt nothing but her hands around her mother’s throat, forcing the older woman to fall back and crack her head on the floor. Jenna was wailing, crying, as  s he slammed Alice’s head to the ground over and over and over . The thoughts of the hell Alice put her through, the abuse she suffered at her hands or her lovers, the mere memory of her killing her brothers and grandmother… Jenna began to dig her thumb into one of Alice’s eyes, making her scream.

“Jenna!” Sarah and Daryl both had to pull her off of Alice ’s now immobile body. She was still crying as she tore herself away and went to cradle her brother’s head. Alice was no longer moving.

“I need something to carry him. A backpack, a purse.” Jenna held Joshua’s head with such tenderness like she cradling her child, not her brother. Sarah nodded and went to look for one. Rick knelt down next to the morose girl.  Shane glanced over towards Alice’s prone body. The larger woman was not moving. Good.

Rick found a small satchel, just big enough for the head. Jenna delicately lowered the still wriggling head into the bag, still crying as she closed it.

“Let’s just get out of here. Shane, Daryl. You got in; can you get us out?” she asked. Shane and Daryl nodded to her their confirmations. Daryl knelt next to his lover, helping her up as she cradled the satchel.

“It should be easy. What about her?” Daryl gestured to Alice; the woman still unconscious. He wanted to kill her.

“I want to kill. I want to. But she’s my mother.” Jenna whispered. She turned her head to look at Rick. The slender man held his gun and pointed it at Alice. He shot her twice in the chest. Blood pooled out from her body, but she didn’t move. Good.

“ Let's get out of here,” he whispered. The group then moved out of the room, Jenna and Sarah leaning against one another. Downstairs, Andrea and Oscar stood straight as several of the Woodbury residents surrounded the Prison Group. A few of them had obvious injuries courtesy of both Oscar and Andrea. But all let out a series of shocking noises as Rick and Jenna slipped outside, each leaning against their respective siblings.

“What happened to them? Where's Will? Where’s Alice?” a man holding a gun chirped out.  Shane let out a snarl.

“Your leaders kidnapped our leaders, tortured them, and we got them back. As for your leader Alice...she’s dead.” The Woodbury residents let out more shocking cries at the announcement. The men toting guns pointed them at the group. 

Jenna nudged Sarah, asking for room. She then limped over on bloodied feet to the front of the group. Again, the Woodbury residents made noises of shock and confusion as they saw someone who was basically a child, come up.

“My name is Jenna Redfern. I was Alice Redfern’s daughter.” Several of the men  wielding guns looked confused.

“Alice had a  daughter? I heard her talking about her sons all the time, but she never mentioned a daughter.” a mousy-looking man piped up. Jenna scoffed.

“She never liked me. Hi Milton. You are more...pathetic in person.” Milton flinched at Jenna’s blunt tone. Daryl let out a snort of amusement.

“...yeah. You’re Alice’s daughter all right,” he responded wryly. Milton watched as Jenna stood straighter, the large shirt on her frame inching up enough to expose the bloody inside of her thighs and the black bruises on her skin.

“Alice, my mother, wanted me to join Woodbury.” she scanned the group, watching them react. “I said no. I found a new family, people who really needed me. She didn’t like that.” 

“With Alice dead, who is going to be our leader?” someone asked. Jenna glanced at Rick and Sarah. Sarah seemed to know what she was thinking. Rick nodded, letting the girl take the reins.

“You are welcome to come and join us. But each and all of you must pull your weight. Children too. This town? It’s an illusion. The world isn’t going to get back to normal. It’s dead. We must evolve with it, or we might as well be dead too.” Jenna kept her woodland-colored eyes on the disquieted town.

“We’re leaving. Someone might want to tend to Alice's corpse before someone ends up as walker food.” Jenna bit back hisses of pain as she walked on the surprisingly sharp gravel. Even Rick was wincing.  Shane and Daryl glanced at each other, nodded, and swooped up the two injured members.

“Daryl?!”

“Shane? What the hell?!” they both yelped. Both were carried in a bridal position as the surly redneck and ex-deputy carried them away. Sarah glanced back at the  town's folk.

“We will be back in three days with a bus. If you want to join us, then start packing. But really, someone should deal with Alice’s remains soon. She probably is already reanimated.” Oscar, Andrea, and Philip kept their eyes on the townsfolk. Sarah stayed in pace with Daryl’s long strides. Daryl and Shane kept on walking, holding their respected injured people.

~~~…

Will sneered as the woman with dreadlocks dropped off some food for him. Martinez was in a different cell, away from him. He scooped up the bowl and ate the skinny bits of meat and broth. The woman watched him.

“Where is the rest of your group? And my stupid sons?” he sneered, finishing the broth.  The woman turned and leveled him with a cold stare.

“Daryl went to get Jenna back. As for everyone else...it’s none of your concern.” The woman turned on her heel to walk  away but stopped as Will reached out and grabbed some of her dreadlocks.

“Wait just a minute, you nigger bitch. I want to talk to my son.” he sneered. The woman reached out and stabbed a fork into his wrist, forcing him to release her hair. She turned and twisted Will’s wrist, almost breaking it.

“My name is Michonne. And if you ever grab me like that again...I will cut off your fingers one by one and feed them to you.” she snarled. Will yanked his wrist back to his side of his cell. Michonne chuckled darkly, seeming to take pleasure in causing harm to the much, much older man.

“I’ll mention that Merle...he or Daryl will never forgive for what you bragged about doing to Jenna. Daryl loves her. Merle owes his life to her. You  ain’t leaving this prison alive.” Michonne turned on her heels and walked over to a small table with another bowl of broth. She picked it up, and walked away, leaving Will to simmer in his  rage.

On the other end of the block, Martinez was walking in a circle as Michonne tapped on the iron bars, signaling her entrance. She held out the bowl to the Hispanic man.

“Eat. I’m going to ask some questions. And you will answer me truthfully. If not...I’ll let the Dixon brothers deal with you. And Miranda Morales. And the Redfern sisters. That not including the Grimes family. Or the Ex-Cons. Your choice.” she stated. Martinez delicately held the bowl of broth. He knelt to the floor with the bowl, holding the plastic dish like with sacred. He bowed his head and tried to shrink  into himself.

“I didn’t touch the girl. I just said that to get a rise from the men hiding from us, okay? I would never touch a girl, any woman like that. But Alice said she wanted her. She’s the boss. What questions do you want to know?” he asked. Michonne leaned against the other wall.

“Why did you choose Alice as your leader?” she asked. Martinez shrugged and sipped some of his broth.

“She seemed to be the only one who knew what to  do. She was focused, smart. Not to mention I may have a liking to thick women.” Martinez replied. Michonne bit the inside of her cheek.

“What about Will?  Why follow him?” she asked. Martinez scoffed.

“There wasn’t much of a choice with him. He obeyed Alice, so we obeyed him. She had him by his balls. He was also a very good fighter, so it made a little bit of sense.” Martinez finished his brother and held the bowl out to Michonne. The fierce woman picked it up and stepped back.

“Do you have people waiting on you back at Woodbury?” she asked. Martinez shook his head.

“I’m alone. My wife and daughters died a month before all this. Car accident. I don’t have anyone.” he whispered. Michonne stood tall and was visibly pondering.

“I have to ask our leaders. But if what you’ve said is true, then you may be able to stay. If you are lying... I will kill you myself.” she  left without another word. Martinez simply watched her leave. He realized his the fate of his life now resides in the hands of the couple Will Dixon tortured.

~~~…

Daryl held Jenna with such delicateness and tenderness that she slipped into a fretful sleep. Behind them, Philip and Andrea were talking about Jenna. Philip was obviously proclaiming that since Jenna was the unspoken leader of their ragtag group, she knew what she was doing. Andrea however, despite talking pleasantries with Jenna, was against her to being the leader. She proclaimed since Rick was the obvious leader, he should have been the one taking charge. Behind them, Sarah was gritting her teeth at Andrea. Oscar kept an eye on the surroundings as they approached the vehicle to take them home.

Shane held Rick as he hurried over to stand by Daryl. His friend also fell asleep to his injuries and from exhaustion.

“ENOUGH!” everyone turned to see Sarah breathing hard. She was pissed off. She turned on her heel and shoved both Philip and Andrea. Mostly Andrea.

“How dare you? After everything she has done to ensure you don’t lose your fucking sister, you still have the gall to badmouth MY sister?! You make me sick Andrea. Why even come to help her if you hate her so badly? What has my sister ever done to you to be treated like shit by you?!” Sarah snapped.

Daryl and Shane hurriedly glanced down at their precious cargo. Luckily, both Jenna and Rick were fast asleep. Philip scurried around the two other men, intent on grabbing the car they stashed. Oscar quickly took out a walker that heard Sarah’s yell with a pry bar he carried at his side.  Sarah however, was focused on the ornery blonde.

“Answer me. Now.” Sarah snarled. Shane and Daryl shared a look.

“I  kinda want to know too,” Shane whispered. Daryl nodded as well. Andrea hissed like a scalded cat. She glared murderously at Jenna’s slumbering form in Daryl’s arms.

“...She got the Dixons wrapped around her finger. Rick basically left his wife for her. The Convicts worship her. My own sister told me she is waiting for her to be 18 to try and date her. Why does everyone like her? Lori used to hate her until a few days ago, now she hopped on the Pro-Jenna bandwagon. Even Shane loves her. No woman could have so many admirers unless she fucked them. But I tried to do that same thing! And I got spurned. So, what is so special about her? Her tit size? Her round ass? What?” Andrea explained. Sarah let out a  screech and launched her more muscular body towards the  other woman.

“You petty bitch! I know my sister better than anyone else! She never consensually had sex with anyone until Daryl! She is the kindest, sweetest, and most honest woman to ever be born from trauma. Daryl loves her for that kindness. Merle loves her for her kindness. Rick loves her for her honesty. The Convicts love her because she gave them a chance, unlike you. She changed Amy’s fate as walker food! And it's thanks to her that Lori was able to see her baby girl. Did you ever wonder what caused Jenna to arrive here?” Sarah didn’t wait for an answer.

“She killed herself. My family wanted nothing to do with Jenna because of fucking Alice! She died, alone and heartbroken. Abandoned by the only people she ever loved. She fell in love with Daryl when she first heard about him! She loved the idea that despite the misery he went through, he still had those who loved him for him. She never had that! My daughters cried when we buried their favorite auntie. We were the only ones who went to her funeral. She died. And being here, In Georgia, was the happiest she ever been in so long.  So I’m giving you an ultimatum: either leave my sister alone, or I will make you.” Sarah’s voice trailed off into a barely audible whisper. The soft sound-making Andrea’s flesh pebble up and her blood chill. Sarah then turned and walked ahead, brutally dismembering a walker that got too close to Daryl (in reality, it was a good 10 yards away.) Andrea fell to her knees in shock. If Jenna was controlled chaos...Sarah was calculated, cold, deadly. In Daryl’s words, Jenna was a coral snake, Sarah was worse. Sarah was a fucking king cobra.

~~~…

Alice felt herself waking up. With a groan, she sat up with some difficulty, feeling the bitterness of rage coursing through her battered rib cage.

“Alice! You’re alive.” She looked over to the man who was tending to her.  Shumpert was smiling as he helped her drink a bit of boiled water.

“Good to see you’re alright, boss. That daughter of yours somehow convinced the town you were bad.” He helped her up and against a building. 

“ ....I no longer have a daughter. Get those who are still loyal ready for war. I’m exterminating a Bug problem.”


	8. Chapter 8

Rick woke up slowly in the car next to Jenna. But the vehicle was empty of the other. Jenna was awake as well. She was looking out the window as she saw both Andrea and Sarah trading blows. Both injured were carefully wrapped in individual blankets. 

“What's going on?” he asked. Jenna let out a sigh.

“ It seems Sarah got fed up with Andrea badmouthing me. So, she is kicking her ass to kingdom come. Shane and Daryl are putting up a perimeter. Philip and Oscar are taking out nearby walkers. And we are about three hours from the prison.” Rick grunted as he rose into a sitting position, doing his best on ignoring his numerous bruises. Jenna was still wearing Daryl’s shirt, her own bruises dark and massive on her skin. She started to open the car door, drawing the attention of the other two women.

“Sarah...Don’t kill her. Andrea...You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I’m leaving.” Jenna marched around the car and grabbed a spare bedsheet. She quickly turned it into a makeshift skirt and armed herself with her bow. Apparently, Sarah and Shane grabbed it from Alice’s room, along with a pair of boots. Daryl paused in setting his part of the perimeter at her words.

“Jenna?” he choked out. Jenna turned to gaze at her lover. Her small smile was breaking not only his heart, but Shane's, Oscar’s, Rick’s and Philip’s. Andrea was staring down at the younger girl, her face betraying the smugness she held about the girl. Sarah wasn’t blind to  it and lunged at the blonde once more.

“How dare you!!” she screamed raking her sharp nails down Andrea’s face, making her scream in pain. Shane and Daryl pulled the two women apart, both still looking at Jenna as she then slipped on a canteen of boiled water and a small pack of hardtack biscuits.

“Sarah....take care of Roy for me? And my dogs?” Jenna asked. Daryl looked at the girl and made up his mind. He picked up his bag of supplies and crossbow and walked over to her side.

“Tell Merle for me. I  ain’t leaving her alone.” he growled out. Sarah looked with a broken heart at her little sister. Rick stepped out of the car.

“What about us?” he asked, his voice was still rough from his treatment by Alice. Jenna didn’t look them in the eyes.

“...Andrea, you finally win. I’m done fighting with women twice my age over things I cannot control. I pray that you think about what will happen now, since the darkness in your heart may have condemned the group.” Keeping her head down, Jenna left the perimeter. Daryl was right behind her. 

This time, none of the men tried to  separate Sarah from pommeling Andrea.

~~~…

Big Tiny saw the car approach the gate around sundown, so he and Axel rushed to open the gates. As the car past by...both ex-cons noticed that there were two missing people. They hurried tot eh car, stopping to help Shane with the doors as he carried Rick inside. Sarah’s eyes were red as she stormed by them. Andrea’s face was battered, her lip split, her eyebrow split, her eye black.

“What happened? Where’s Jenna and Daryl?” Axel asked, confused. None of the other answered him. Big Tiny followed behind them as they twisted and turned towards the library.”

“Morgan!” Shaen called out. Their resident doctor ran forward, hissing as he took in Rick’s numerous injuries.

“Damn, this is going to take some time to heal. Where’s Jenna? I wager her injuries are about equal to his.” Morgan whispered, already treating Rick’s knife cuts with diluted alcohol and some herbal oils. The medicine gathered was for more severe injuries. Sarah let out a soft sob at the mention of her sister. The sound made everyone stop and glance at the oldest of the Redfern siblings.

“Sarah...Where’s Jenna?” Patricia asked, concerned for her tiny prophet. Sarah then let out a snarl and grabbed Andrea by her greasy hair, throwing her towards the group.

“Ask her. Ask her why my sister isn’t here with us right now!”  She hissed. Everyone turned to Andrea, curious and a bit pissed off. Even Lori was upset.

“I. ..I was tired of Jenna getting all the attention!” Andrea snipped out. Sarah let out a soft scream and lunged for the woman again. Merle quickly grabbed her, preventing the woman from attacking the other.

“She was jealous of my sister! My sister left. She was tired of fighting with her, so she left. Daryl left with her. The reason they aren’t here is because Andrea drove Jenna away! And Daryl followed her.” Amy moved closer, visibly upset with her older sister.

“Why? Jenna has done nothing but be helpful to us.” Amy asked. Andrea turned away with a pout, saying not a word. She did let out a yelp as Jordan ran over and kicked her hard in the shins.

“How dare you! You drove away my auntie! If she dies, I'm going to blame you for it!!” Jordan then turned and ran to her mother, crying into her stomach. Roy was clinging to Merle, also crying. Merle, while not used to being sought for comfort, held the child tenderly. Merle was glaring heatedly at Andrea, his blue eyes ice cold with subtle rage.

“...are you seriously jealous of a 16-year-old girl?” Merle jabbed. Andrea flinched at the cold tone.

“And if I am?” she snipped. Merle scoffed.

“Never knew you could be so damn petty. For fuck sakes, she’s not even an adult yet! And sure, she may be mentally 25, but she never has done a damn thing to make anyone jealous of her. If Lori bitching Grimes can start liking her, and the Greene Girls, then why are you the only one still  pissy about her?” Merle growled.  Andrea did not say a word.

With everyone now ignoring Andrea, Morgan finished cleaning Rick’s wounds.

“While you were away,  The kids found some people who needed help. We would like your input on what to do. You are the leader.” Morgan whispered. Rick turned to see two grown men, a woman and a  half grown teenager. Now that Rick was back, everyone was moving back towards the cells and outdoors, fed up with being cramped in the library. Murphy and Snowball ran out of the room first, chasing some of the chickens that got out of their pen and playfully nipping about the nanny goat, who ended up chasing them since she had her kids during the night. There were three. 

“I’m Tyreese. This is my sister Sasha, Allen and his kid Ben. We had more but...” Rick nodded.

“I understand. I’m Rick.” he held out his hand to shake, the larger man taking care of not jostling him. Allen was cradling a body wrapped in a sheet, his son talking with Jimmy.

“So, what happened here?” Tyreese asked. Rick sighed and gingerly sat on one of the benches.

“I got captured by some unfriendly folks. Me and our other leader, Jenna. We got away, but Jenna left. Andrea, the woman with the bruises, was very hostile to her. So, she left. One of our huntsmen, Daryl, left with her. He is her lover.” Tyreese nodded in thought.

“Well, I  ain’t a hunter. But I am strong. I can help with your...is that a bison?” Rick turned to see their fellow bison licking and tending to a calf. He smiled.

“Yeah. She was found last fall. It seems she was pregnant, or at least got pregnant from our bull. She only listens to Jenna, so good luck with trying to get near her.” Tyreese chuckled.

“Anyway, is there a spot I can bury our friend?” Tyreese asked. Sasha was talking with Sarah, conversing on something. Rick nodded.

“Sure. Just head over there.” the larger man nodded and walked away.

Allen scowled as he glanced at the group that took them in. The boy with one hand was becoming friends with Ben, so he wasn’t too concerned about him. Tyreese came over, carrying a shovel.

“We can bury Donna over here some ways.” he mentioned. Allen glanced at the group as they spread out around the field.

“...We should ambush them. At night at least. Take out the men.” Sasha turned and punched him in the arm.

“We are not going to do it! For Christ's sake, they have babies with them? You want to kill the babies too? They let us in, helped us, we are not going to do a damn thing.”

“Damn right you’re not.” all three jumped and turned to see a shrimpy boy with skin almost as dark as theirs holding a gun. It was a dinky little derringer, but Sasha could tell the kid would shoot them if they try anything.

“Tyreese, Sasha. You guys are more than welcome to stay. But Mister Allen? You try anything, and I will kill you. You are weak. You really think you can take us on? If you want to help or stay, you follow our rules. I won’t tell my sister or the others what you were planning, but this is your only warning.” the boy walked away, a slight sway to his steps. Sasha turned and punched Allen again.

“You will not step a toe out of line, you got that? This is too good to be turned away. Do not fuck this up.”

~~~…

Jenna found a creek and stripped bare, kneeling in the chilly water to clean the blood off her body. Daryl kept watch, starting a fire to boil some of the water in a collapsible pot he snagged somewhere, and cooking a snake he caught.

“...You are just circling the prison. Why?” he asked, watching as Jenna took a knife to her long hair, shortening it to be the same length as his own. She redressed herself, keeping her feet in the water as she sat on the stone by the creek.

“Woodbury. Some of the people may try and retaliate. I want to scout them just in case, set traps.” she replied. Daryl checked on his snake. A few more minutes.

“So, you aren’t really leaving for good?” Daryl asked. Jenna nodded.

“Nope. In case you haven’t figured it out yet...I want Andrea to stew in her shame.” Daryl let out a soft chuckle at the remark. 

“You really are a little viper.” he  joked. Jenna grinned.

“Yeah...Can you help me even out my hair?” she asked, handing her older lover the knife. Daryl nodded and stood, walking over to kneel behind the small girl. He used the sharp blade to cut some locks of hair into a style  like his own. While Merle usually teased him about his longer hair, Daryl thought Jenna’s new short hair was cute on her. 

“There. Looks good on you.” Jenna turned and smiled at Daryl. Daryl leaned down and gently kissed her lips.

“I was afraid of kissing you. You went through some serious shit, and I didn’t want to pressure you.” he mumbled, allowing Jenna to lean against him as they moved by the fire. He handed her a chunk of snake, watching as she ate it with a vigorous appetite. He began to eat his own chunk. The two of them ate in leisure.

“After we eat, we should hurry and placed down some traps, pop some tires on trucks, trip wires.” Jenna finished her snake and stood, wiping her mouth with a corner of Daryl’s borrowed shirt. Daryl nodded and began to stamp out the fire.

“Ready when you are.” he murmured. Daryl knew Jenna was still injured. She went through some serious trauma. But she didn’t flinch at his touch, which was good.

Every ten feet, they dug a wide pit, converting them into tiger traps. At least shallow ones. Deep enough to pop a car tire, and deep enough to snap a leg. 

“Was your daddy a fucking navy SEAL or some shit?” Daryl asked as Jenna made a spike trap with sharpened branches. She already made caltrops out of rusty tacks she found in his bag and scattered them around.

“Nah. I just read a lot.” Jenna made one more trap and stepped back to admire her work. 

“This should be good enough. I saw some  katniss plants near the creek.  Lets grab a few.” Daryl nodded and followed Jenna as she carefully swayed around her traps and pits, avoiding her homemade caltrops with ease.

Daryl helped Jenna wash off some sand covered tubers in the creek, keeping an eye on the woods surrounding them. He paused, hearing something.

“....is that a baby?” he asked. Jenna’s head popped up, alert.

“Let’s follow it. Whoever it is may need help!” Jenna stuffed the remaining tubers in her bag and pulled out her knife. Both of them ran.

They came to a bridge, noticing that a small family was slowly getting over run with walkers.

“Ayuda! Ayuda!” one of the men screamed. Both Jenna and Daryl spared each other one  look, and raised their respective bows. They began falling walkers. Two men, perched on a flatbed, watched as the walkers were being taken out. A woman was trapped in a car, her infant in her hands screaming.

Jenna was quicker and was already hacking at the walkers around the car as Daryl helped the men. The two men paused slightly as Daryl used the edge of his crossbow to slam against the rotting skull of a walker.

“ Quienes Sos  estos dos?” one of the men asked. Daryl ransacked his brain to make a response.

“Shit...um,  Ayudar !  Ayudar !  Nosotros estamos ayudando !” Daryl stammered out. The men nodded and went back to eliminating walkers. Jenna was already finishing off the last walkers, panting as her  stength left her.

“Gracias. Gracias.” The woman whispered, gently calming down her baby. Jenna smiled and took a seat on one of the walkers. Daryl rolled his eyes at her.

“Everything good here?” he asked. The girl nodded.

“We’re fine. Let me rest a bit.” Daryl hissed.

“Shit. I forgot you are still hurt. We should go back to the prison. You need help.” Daryl moved and scooped up the girl in his arms, bridal style. She was so  tired, she didn’t even try to fight it. Her head was resting against Daryl’s scarred chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.  The two men and the woman watched.

“Thank... Thank you. I don’t speak good English. But thank you for help!” one of the men whispered. Daryl turned to the group.

“You can come with us. We have shelter, room.” he replied.  The men shook their heads.

“We head for South. Better.” Daryl watched as they all loaded in the car and drove away. He held Jenna tight as he then began his trek back to the prison.

~~~…

Rick was standing watch, ignoring his groups pleas for him to rest. He was patrolling around the outer layer of fence, ignoring the chained-up walkers as he killed any that were roaming. Thanks to the line of walkers surrounding the prison, there  weren;t a lot of them.

“Rick?” turning, Rick saw Sarah standing behind one of the fences, concerned.

“Sarah. What’s the matter?” he asked. Sarah pulled out her knife and killed some of the roaming walkers near then fence.

“You should rest. Or at least talk to me. What did Alice do to you and my sister?” she asked. Rick turned his head as he felt the bitter heat of shame etch his eyes. He sat down on a  small, jury-rigged boardwalk over casting the nearby creek.

“Alice...She forced me to... I’m so sorry.” he stammered out. Sarah felt the spark of understanding as he recalled his torture.

“I see.” Sarah sat down on her side of the fence.

“But that doesn’t explain why you aren’t resting. Alice is dead now. You should come back and calm yourself.” Sarah muttered. Rick let out a  sigh but paused as he heard the crunching of small saplings echo  around the woods. He stood, his heart beating frantically.

There were also some cries of pain and the soft sound of popping tires. But coming through the trees, on top of a large truck that had armored tires, was Alice.  She was bandaged, but alive.

“How are you alive?!” Rick shouted at the large woman. Alice grinned, her bruised face doing nothing to  mar her cruel beauty. 

“It doesn’t matter how I’m alive. Because you aren’t going to be much longer.” Alice then raised one of her arms in the air. And Rick heard the mocking clicks of hammers pulled back and bullets loading in the chamber.

“Kill them all. Children and everything. No survivors.” she shouted. And soon, bullets flew around them. Rick turned and began to run back to the gates.


End file.
